Ohio Family Law Blog

What do your kids need from you in the middle of a divorce?

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Child Custody on Friday, September 21, 2018.

Thousands of Ohio residents go through the divorce process each year. Although the circumstances of any given divorce case can vary widely, there are certain issues that will likely be addressed in almost every case: alimony; child custody; child support; property division; and the applicability of prenuptial agreements. However, in the middle of a divorce, which can feel chaotic at times, parents should be focused on one thing above all: the impact of the divorce on their kids.

What do your kids need form you in the middle of a divorce? Well, a recent report noted quite a few tips for parents to heed in the best-case scenarios. For starters, think about the questions that your kids will have about why their parents are no longer going to be married. This can be hard to perceive, but many kids will be thinking that the divorce may be their fault, or that they may be separated from their siblings in some way. Other kids might think that the divorce is a reflection of how their parents feel about them, not the other parent. When it comes to divorce, the parents need to be the adults in the room and try to work together, as much as possible, to make the divorce issue cause less anxiety for their kids.

Do I really need an attorney for my divorce?

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. on Tuesday, September 11, 2018.

If you and your spouse have decided to divorce, you may already be exhausted thinking about the details you must attend to. If you have no children, you are likely working out the best way to divide your joint property. If children are involved, you may be fighting through emotions to ensure the best outcome for them.

Perhaps you are among the fortunate couples who feel their divorce will be amicable and simple. You may already be discussing some of the major sticking points, such as who gets the house and how to divide holidays with the children. Because of this, you may feel that hiring an attorney will just complicate things even further. However, you may be overlooking important benefits to having a legal professional on your side.

Divorcing? You should reconsider your estate plan

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Divorce on Thursday, September 6, 2018.

If you are going through a divorce, estate planning may be the last thing on your mind. However, you should not neglect your estate-planning documents during this time of upheaval. Revising your estate plan during or after your divorce is a crucial step that many people neglect.

Why is estate-planning important in a divorce?

Financial issues that bog down divorce negotiations

By Laubacher & Co. posted in Divorce on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

Like many couples seeking divorce, you may reject the idea that your breakup must be one of disputes and contention. More options are available to couples than in former years, and many Ohio family courts encourage couples to follow gentler paths to divorce than litigation. If you have children, you may have an added incentive to make your divorce as amicable as possible.

Rather than going through the stressful and expensive process of divorce litigation, you and your spouse have agreed to mediation or collaboration as a way to end your marriage. Perhaps you foresee reaching reasonable agreements with your spouse over the important issues, especially those concerning the children. However, money issues can bring your negotiations to a grinding halt, and it may help you to be aware of the most common financial issues that cause amicable negotiations to break down.

A gentle alternative to traditional child custody

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Child Custody on Friday, August 24, 2018.

Like many parents, your primary concern when you decided to divorce was the well-being of your children. As confident as you are that the marriage is over, you also know that your soon-to-be former spouse is a good parent whose presence in the lives of your children will be a positive influence.

However, you also understand the challenges of co-parenting after divorce. Perhaps you have your own memories of shuffling between your parents' homes and trying to remember if you left your book report at Mom or Dad's house. If you want to avoid this added confusion for your children at a time when they may already be confused and distracted, you may consider nesting as a different way to handle child custody arrangements.

Collaborative divorce may be key to resolving divorce disputes

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Collaborative Divorce on Wednesday, June 6, 2018.

Going through the divorce process can be confusing and challenging both emotionally and financially. However, just because you find yourself headed for divorce does not mean the process has to be filled with animosity between you and your soon-to-be ex.

The reality is that an increasing number of couples in Ohio and elsewhere are opting to resolve their divorce disputes outside of court. This is possible thanks to an alternative dispute resolution process known as collaborative divorce.

Your Spouse Filed for Divorce. What Now?

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Divorce on Friday, May 4, 2018.

Whether you were expecting it or not, being served with divorce papers can be a sobering experience. Once you have been served, the divorce process has formally begun, and there are now deadlines you need to meet and requirements you need to follow in order to avoid negative consequences for the outcome of your divorce.

Collaborating on your divorce could be smart

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Divorce on Monday, April 2, 2018.

Even the most amicable of Ohio couples find that divorce is an emotionally challenging and difficult process. While the end of a marriage is never easy, there are ways that a couple can reduce the strain and conflict involved with this process. Some couples are able to meet their divorce objectives and reach a reasonable outcome through collaboration.

Collaborative divorce will not work for every situation, but it could be an appropriate way for you to resolve disputes in a respectful and practical manner. Collaboration is a method of alternate dispute resolution, and it could offer you a better way to divorce. If you want to reduce the amount of hardship and complications in your divorce, you may consider this option.

25 Questions to Answer About Co-Parenting After Your Divorce

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Divorce on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

For many divorcing spouses, co-parenting offers a flexible solution that allows both parents to remain actively involved in their children's lives outside of the confines of a traditional custody and visitation schedule. Co-parenting requires commitment, and both parents need to be willing to work together in order to address unexpected issues when they arise.

But, while some unexpected issues are inevitable, with careful planning and the benefit of hindsight, divorcing spouses can proactively address the vast majority of issues that are likely to arise in a co-parenting relationship. Even if this does not mean making a decision now, it can mean putting a structure in place to allow for amicable decision-making when the time eventually comes.

Spring Break Scheduling After a Divorce

On behalf of Laubacher & Co. posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

For divorced parents, planning for spring break can present a variety of difficult challenges. Depending on your children's ages, whether you (or your children) want to travel, whether you work full-time, and a variety of other factors, making arrangements that satisfy everyone can seem like a struggle of epic proportions.